Advance Release Opinions – March 26

Review of the Connecticut Supreme Court’s advance release opinion about election law.

Election Law

Keeley v. Ayala – Nobody should have needed the Connecticut Supreme Court to confirm that the impropriety of the absentee-ballot shenanigans that occurred in this primary election for two seats on the Bridgeport City Council. The shenanigans included: (1) the candidate (the one that ended up with the most votes) instructed a police officer to go to certain locations to pick up absentee ballots; (2) the officer didn’t confirm the identities of the people giving him the ballots; (3) the officer, more than once, accepted multiple ballots from a single person; and (4) absentee ballots that the officer didn’t pick up and that weren’t postmarked were nonetheless counted in the result. Trial court invalidated the election and directed that a new primary be conducted. Supreme Court affirmed.